Vote Smart provides easy access to congressional and state voting records and maintains a collection of key votes grouped by issue. Vote Smart uses the following criteria to select key votes:
Vote Smart provides a summary of the version of the bill text associated with each selected key vote. Our summaries are written by Vote Smart's staff and interns, who adhere to our strict policies and procedures in order to guarantee absolute impartiality and accuracy. They do not necessarily reflect the content of the final version of the bill, but rather the version voted on in that stage. While many procedural votes take place before a full chamber vote, our voting stages reflect the final reading of each chamber vote. Each key vote selection is reviewed by the project's community of advisors, who are political scientists and journalists from all fifty states.
For more information about the legislative process, see here.
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 7, 2006 | National | PN 1396 | Andrew von Eschenbach, Commissioner of Food and Drugs | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (80 - 11) |
| Sept. 29, 2006 | National | HR 6061 | Secure Fence Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 19) |
| Sept. 13, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4936 | National Security Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (41 - 57) |
| Aug. 31, 2006 | CA | SB 1414 | Health Care Requirements for Large Companies | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| Aug. 31, 2006 | CA | SB 1578 | Dog Restraint Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| Aug. 31, 2006 | CA | SB 1379 | Biomonitoring Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| Aug. 30, 2006 | CA | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Aug. 29, 2006 | CA | AB 1953 | Amount of Lead in Plumbing Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| Aug. 29, 2006 | CA | AB 1953 | Amount of Lead in Plumbing Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| Aug. 16, 2006 | CA | AB 1873 | Safe Child Surrender Time Limit Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| Aug. 16, 2006 | CA | SCA 3 | Redistricting Commission | Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| Aug. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4775 | Triple-Layered Fencing Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 3) |
| July 19, 2006 | NC | HB 2699 | Early Childhood Vision Care Program | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| July 19, 2006 | NC | HB 2699 | Early Childhood Vision Care Program | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| July 18, 2006 | NC | HB 2873 | Drinking Water From Private Wells Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| July 18, 2006 | NC | HB 2873 | Drinking Water From Private Wells Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| July 14, 2006 | IA | HF 2351 | Eminent Domain | Veto Override Passed - Senate (41 - 8) |
| July 13, 2006 | MA | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| July 13, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4659 | Double-Layered Fencing Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (29 - 71) |
| July 10, 2006 | CO | HB 1017 | Employer Verification of Employee Work Status Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| July 10, 2006 | CO | HB 1023 | Public Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| July 8, 2006 | CO | HB 1020 | Business Deductions for Employees Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| July 8, 2006 | NJ | A 4705 | Tobacco Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| June 28, 2006 | PA | HB 804 | Handheld Cell Phone Ban While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| June 27, 2006 | CA | SB 1137 | Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/07 | PN 1396 | Andrew von Eschenbach, Commissioner of Food and Drugs | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (80 - 11) |
| 9/29 | HR 6061 | Secure Fence Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 19) |
| 9/13 | S Amdt 4936 | National Security Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (41 - 57) |
| 8/31 | SB 1414 | Health Care Requirements for Large Companies | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| 8/31 | SB 1578 | Dog Restraint Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 8/31 | SB 1379 | Biomonitoring Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 8/30 | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 8/29 | AB 1953 | Amount of Lead in Plumbing Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| 8/29 | AB 1953 | Amount of Lead in Plumbing Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| 8/16 | AB 1873 | Safe Child Surrender Time Limit Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| 8/16 | SCA 3 | Redistricting Commission | Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 8/02 | S Amdt 4775 | Triple-Layered Fencing Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 3) |
| 7/19 | HB 2699 | Early Childhood Vision Care Program | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| 7/19 | HB 2699 | Early Childhood Vision Care Program | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| 7/18 | HB 2873 | Drinking Water From Private Wells Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| 7/18 | HB 2873 | Drinking Water From Private Wells Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| 7/14 | HF 2351 | Eminent Domain | Veto Override Passed - Senate (41 - 8) |
| 7/13 | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 7/13 | S Amdt 4659 | Double-Layered Fencing Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (29 - 71) |
| 7/10 | HB 1017 | Employer Verification of Employee Work Status Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 7/10 | HB 1023 | Public Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 7/08 | HB 1020 | Business Deductions for Employees Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 7/08 | A 4705 | Tobacco Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| 6/28 | HB 804 | Handheld Cell Phone Ban While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| 6/27 | SB 1137 | Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2) |